Game



Jan. 29, 1924. 1,481,786

\ G. T. BARBER GAME Filed March 24, 1922 7 Y y I l 2l 22 SC' j lili Patented Jan.. 29, i924.

marisa rAiENT orricn.

GEORGE frynaais'nn, or BROOKLYN, NEW YoRK.

GAME. 1

Application filed March 24, 1922. Serial No. 546,268.

improvements in Games, of which the fol-V lowing is a speciiication.

This invention relates to amusement appaf ratus in which the players skill in throwing or rolling a ball or other Objectis employed, preferably in competition with other playvisea novel form of such device which anyone may play and which introduces a competitive feature not heretofore present in games of this character. A further object of the invention is to construct the game in such form that any number of persons from one to twelve or more may playthe game simultaneously.

Referringto the drawings in which what l now consider the preferred form'ojf my invention is shown,

Fig. l is a plan View of a small section of the game board or alleys.

F ig. 2 is transverse section thro-ugh the same on vline 2 2 (F ig. l).

Fig. 3 is a detail showing a simple method of constructing vthe sheet metaly trackways or alleys. i f

F ig. 4 is a longitudinal section througha portion of the cylinder, showing an end Sec tion.

Fig. 5 is a detailed section showing an alternative form of receiving chute andsignal system for the ball. n

Y My apparatus in the preferred forni consists of a plurality of alleysor trackways, 1,2,- etc., situated side by side. Said .alleys may be formed of strips 3rof sheet metal, the adjacent edges of whichv are'upturned and crimped together as indicated at 4and 5, to form partitions between 'the alleys. Preferablv the alleys are mounted on rastand 6 above the level of the floor or. sidewalk 7 and in an inclined position soethat the balls 8, 9, used by the player will have to be rolled up an incline. At the upper end of the trackways is mounted a hollow rotatable member l0, preferably of cylindrical form,

' said member having its upper surface'substantially tangential to the alley. Said member is provided with at least one aperture ll, l2, for 'each trackway of proper size to receive the ball, when rolled accurately and One object of the invention is to deV at the proper speed by the player, andfwhen said aperture is at the end f the trackway (Fig. 2) .i An additional aperture 13 or apertures may be provided for each alley, if desired. Preferably, the `apertures 1l and 13 areA not equally spacedy around the circuinA ference of the cylinder. lreferably-l also, thel apertures il, i2, etc., for each alley are not placed'in line axially, but are staggered, so thatthey will come up in different alleys at di iferent times. Villien a ball drops into the cylinder, it of courseffalls to the bottom, whereit lies, rolling backwardly as the cylindcr rotates, until an aperture il or 13 comes thereuni'ler, when it drops out. Cross partitions l and lo (Fig. 4) may be provided in the cylinder toy insure the balls stay ing inline with the apertures. It will of course be understood also that the cylinder l() need not be continuous, but may be in a. plurality of sections lTa'ndlS. The end portions il' (Fig. 4) may be provided with aV closure 4i) carrying the hub 4l to support the cylinder on shaft 31, which in turn is journalled in brackets 42. Eachsection is shown as provided at one end with a ring 43 of less diameter than the cylinder and forced into the samek for about half of its thickness, so that the next portion 18 may be forcedover the other half of the ring to form the cylinder l() as a whole.

returns it to the return alley 20. If the player rolls the ball too fast, or if no aperture is uppermost when the ball arrives at the cylindeig'the ball-rolls into the vertical return chute 2l and alley 2i). This carries vthe balls into pocket 22 where the attendant or players may reach them. lf the ball is not rolled hard enough, it simply returnsv to said pocket 22. Preferably said pocket is formed asa part ofra platform 23, pivoted onl stand 6 at- 24,and normally held in posiprovided to sound or show when a player hask When the ball drops, Y .from the cylinder, it enters a chute 19 which ico toA

succeeded in dropping a ball into the cylinder. in order to increase interest in the game, l prefer to sound the alarm when the ball escapes from the cylinder, thereby adding an element of chance. The ballwill ordinarily escape through the lirst hole that rolls under it, and hence if the cylinder is rotating as shown by arrow a in Fig. 2 and the ball falls through hole ill it will not escape as quickly as if it -fell through hole 18. As a signal have shown an arm 32 pivoted at 33 and adapted to be turned up when a ball rolls out of chute i9. When this happens a contact on said arm is brought into contact with Contact on the tra e to flash signal or sound an alarm.

ln Fig. 5 is shown a modified form of chute 19 vtor receiving the ball 8 as it drops from the cylinder. Said chute is pivoted at -l so that as the ball S drops on to the same it will be tilted into the dotted line position thereby bringing Contact thereon against stationary Contact to flash or sound the signal. ri"he downward inclination ot the chute also imparts velocity to the ball, while the chute as soon as the ball has left the saine, returns to its full line position, as it is made heavier on the left side oi' pivot 45, where it rests on lug 46. il *free passage through chute 2l is thus allowed for the balls 'coming down the saine.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, lhave herein described the principle ot operation of my invention, together with the apparatus, which l now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means. Also, while it is designed to use the various features and elements in the combination and relations described, some of these maybe altered and others omitted without interfering with the moi'e general results outlinedfand the invention extends to such use.

Having herein described my invention what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

l. in a game, the combination with playing 'balls adapted to be rolled by the player, of a hollow member rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and having longitudinally spaced apertures, trackwaysleading from the players to the member for the balls and means for continuously rotating said member.

2. In a game, the combination with playing balls adapted to be rolled by the player, of a rotatable hollow cylinder having longitudinally spaced apertures, trackways leading from the players to the cylinder for the balls, means for continuously rotating said cylinder and means for making a signal when a ball enters the cylinder.

yto the member ior the balls and means for continuously rotating said member.

4. ln' afganie, the combination with playing balls, of a rotatable hollow member having longitudinally spaced apertures, l'said apertures being also circumferentially staggered, traclways leading from the players to the member down which the balls are adapted to be rolled by the players, and means for making a signal as a ball leaves the member.

5. In a competitive game, the combination with the playing balls, of a rotatable hollow cylindrical:member having aplurality of longitudinally spaced groups of the apertures, the holes of each group being in substantially thesame radial plane, and irregularly spaced, a 'trackway for each group oi3 apertures down which'each player may roll his ball,`nieans -lor returning the balls to the players, andineans icorinaking a distinctive signal that a ball has enteredaii aperture, vsaid signal showing which player was successful' in first causing the ball' to' enter or leave the cylinder. l

6. In a game, the combination with playing balls, ol a rotatable hollow cylinder-having longitudinally spaced' apertures,-guiding partitions within Ysaid cylinder to cause the balls to leave the cylinder through' said apertures, traclnvays leading from the players yto the cylinder for the ballsand means for Coiitii'iuously rotating said member.

7. In a game, the'combination withplaying balls, of a rotatable hollow cylinder` having longitudinally spaced apertures, 'said cylinder being built upl of a 'plurality of? sections wedged together eiid to end, guide partitions within 'said cylinder to cause the balls to leave the cylinder through said' apertures, traclrways leading from the playersto `the cylinder for the balls and means tor continuously rotating said member.

Spina gaine, the combination with a rotatable member. having an aperture adapted to receive ywhen in a predetermined position a ball, of a channel for returning the balls which fail to enter said member, a tiltable member for receiving the balls that enter said target,- and located :in saidl channel, said member normally permitting free passage 'of the' balls through said channel, but being adapted to tilt downwardly 4when a` ball enters ksaid member," and a signal operated by said member. I

In testimony whereof-I have yafiixed signature.

, GEORGE T. BARBER. 

